Maybe It Won't Always Be Stefan
by Book-BoyObsessed956439
Summary: The loss of Stefan causes Damon and Elena to be drawn together. They admit their feelings toward each other, but the next day, Elena is kidnapped and is going to be given to Klaus, will Damon find her in time? If so, what's in store for him?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer; I don't own the Vampire Diaries, if I did Damon would be sitting with me right now! x]**

Elena POV 1

Caroline sits down next to me. "You okay?"

"Nope." I throw a rock into the water. "Thanks though, you're a good friend."

She stares at the ripples the rock made in the river and takes a pause. While she is thinking I wonder where Stefan is, because I need to stop thinking that I'm pushing this guilt trip thing too hard on her – I want her to admit Katherine herself. I wish I was with him right now, but somehow I know he's with Damon. I hate this fake fighting, I sigh and pick at the moss forming on the stones.

"I'm not a good friend, Elena," Caroline says.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to keep the hope out of my voice. Could she be telling me about Katherine? Could she be admitting that she is Kat's eyes and ears? I force a frown.

"I just . . ." She fidgets with her jacket buttons and turns to look at me. Her blue eyes travel over my head and she squints. "Where is my mom going?"

I turn around; Sherriff Forbes is walking toward the parking lot with her cell phone pressed to her ear. Caroline stands up and starts walking toward Liz, and I stand up and follow. I would've made it to hear their two-minute conversation had I not slipped on the wet grass.

"What's up?" I ask.

Caroline hesitates. "I don't know."

I shift from left to right. She seems troubled. I want to help her. I find myself echoing her first question. "You okay?"

"Something's wrong." She glances back at the party, to where her mom disappeared, and back to me. "I have a bad feeling."

I stare at her.

"Where is Stefan?" She asks.

"I don't know, why?" I say too quickly, this could be some kind of trap, to see if I care about Stefan still. So she could report to Katherine. I put up my guard.

Caroline looks side to side, and then stomps toward the woods. I follow her, it's not like she told me not to.

After we get deep enough, she turns around and closes her eyes.

"What are we doing?" I ask.

"I can hear better here," Caroline says.

"Hear . . . what?" I ask.

"Shh!" She hisses.

I wait and stare down at the picnic, where is Stefan? What about Damon? I shake myself, remind myself not to care about him. I still don't like him from killing Jeremy; he was totally in the wrong. It's not like he feels the way I do. I cough and change my thoughts; it's not like he really cares about me, he was just on a drunken rebound from Katherine being in love with Stefan. He can rot, for all I care.

I flinch.

"Oh no," Caroline says. "Oh no, no, no, no, no."

"Caroline, what is it?" I ask. "What's wrong?"

"Come on," She says urgently, rushing into the forest at a quick human pace.

Confused, I follow her.


	2. Chapter 2

Damon POV 1

The water swirls around in my mouth, and I spit it over the balcony. Stefan is watching me, waiting for me to do something. I do another spit take; my throat is on fire from the vervain in the lemonade. Stupid, how could I not smell it? I cough and swallow the rest of the water, make sure I don't choke and look at my little brother.

"I'm gonna kill him." I make my way to walk past him.

"No, Damon, wait." He runs into me.

I couldn't help but think Really? You eat bunnies, and you think you can beat me? I shoved my chest against his, too which he shoved me down on the bench.

I hate vervain

"Damon–" Stefan starts.

"No! I am done listening to all your peace crap, the mutt is dead," I yell in his face.

"Hey!" Stefan pushes me harder. "I don't like this either, he's trying to expose us. We got to take him down."

I stare at him. "Is this some kind of game? Are you trying to mess with me?"

"No," He says. "Trust me, for once, Damon."

I only hesitate a moment. "Okay, let's do this." I swallow as Stefan backs up and I see the werewolf walking up the hill. "There," I say. "Garbage disposal."

Stefan starts to follow me and I stick my hand out, hitting him in the chest. "Stay here."

"No," Stefan says as if I'm joking.

"I can handle this on my own, little bro." I glare at him.

He rolls his eyes. "I'm not letting you do this alone."

I blink at him and just follow Mason. One of these days he's going to bite off more than he can handle. I am so tired of saving everyone, it's not like it's making anyone feel any better about me. Stefan is probably the only person who puts up with me, and even he wishes I were dead most of the time.

_It's always gonna be Stefan!_ Elena's words ring though my head and I flinch.

Stefan notices. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head. "Nothing."

It has to be Katherine ringing in my head, right? I can't do that to Stefan; steal Elena from him. Not that I could do that anyway. She hates me.

"It's not like he's dead," I mumble.

"What?" Stefan asks.

"Didn't say anything," I lie. "Are the bunnies eating things that don't agree with you again?"

He sighs and we walk in silence.

Mason looks like he's considering eating a giant bug off the leaf he is gawking at. Stefan and I came in on different sides, and Mason's face fell as he looked at me.

"Puppy caught in the headlights?" I ask. "Go ahead, run, I've missed the chase."

Mason looks at Stefan, then me. He sits down in the middle of us and curls his head between his legs. I cock my brow at him just before I heard the bang!

Bang!

I look at Stefan, who is clutching at his stomach, bleeding. He falls to his knees.

Bang!

White-hot pain hits me in the chest. Bang! Shoulder. Bang! Stomach. I hit the ground.

"Thank you, Mason," says a familiar voice.

Liz?

I feel a pinch in my back, and everything goes black.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena POV 2

Caroline stops walking and looks at a giant pile of leaves, sticks and leftover bush trims. I look around, trash bags liter around the area, and blood is on the ground.

"Caroline, what's going on?" I ask.

"It's Stefan and Damon," She replies.

My heart sinks and I suddenly look at the blood more seriously. "What about Stefan and Damon?"

"I don't know." She gets up. "Just tail me."

I follow her deeper into the woods, and we come horns-to-horns with Mason Lockwood.

"What are you girls doing so far out here?" He seems nervous.

"Have you seen Damon?" I blurt. "Or Stefan?"

Caroline eyes me.

"Yeah, but I won't tell you where," He says smugly.

"What? Why?" I ask.

"I'll let you're little friend sniff 'em out. So, Carrie, what does your mom think about the fangs?"

Caroline flinches.

"I think it looks good on you." He smirks.

Caroline snarls.

Mason grabs my arm and clamps his hand on my mouth when I gasp. "Easy, tiger. Around here, necks snap pretty easy."

Caroline rolls her eyes. "I can handle an unwashed dog."

His hand clamps harder on my mouth. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I am." Caroline zooms around behind Mason and kicks him between the legs. He shoves me forward and hits the ground. She elbows him in the back and smiles smugly. "Sniff them out." She looks at me. "Come on."

We run as fast as I can manage, and when Caroline stops I see . . . "What is that?" I ask.

She holds up her hand to tell me to be quiet, and then I hear a gun shot.

I nearly jump out of my skin. "Caroline!"

She starts crying. "Oh god."

"Caroline, what's happening?" I yell.

She leaps up the to the top of the skinny stone steps and rushes down them. I follow her, slower, more carefully. When I get to the bottom, Caroline is not there, so I keep walking forward. It's dark, and cobwebs fill the area. I swallow hard and flinch even harder when I hear a moan from ahead.

I hurry up.

I run into a gate, and see Damon lying on the ground. He is alone, no Stefan, no werewolves, no Caroline, just Damon.

"Damon?" I whisper. "Damon."

Caroline's hand clamps on my mouth and she pulls me back. "Shut up! It's my mom."

I try and say something but she keeps her hand pressed firm. "Elena, stop! I can't let my mom find out about me. She'll hate me. She'll kill me!"

I can't believe her.

Sheriff Forbes walks in from the other room, flanked by two deputies. She taps Damon's foot with her own, and he makes a sound as if he doesn't want to wake up yet. Sheriff Forbes pulls the trigger of her gun and a wood capped bullet hits Damon in the knee.

His whole body jerks and bites down on his lower lip, doing a poor job of holding in his scream.

"You're brother is useless," Sheriff Forbes says. "How do you walk in the sun? How many of you are there?"

"Where's Stefan?" Damon asks, his voice tense. I can hear the pain from twenty feet away.

The gun goes off again, nailing Damon's other knee. Caroline hides her face in my hair.

"Please . . ." Damon chokes out.

Tears go down my cheeks.


	4. Chapter 4

Damon POV 2

Liz glares down at me, it burns at my walls to be betrayed again. I swallow hard and ask again. "Where is Stefan?"

In the back of my mind, I keep hearing Elena, a hum . . . a whisper. I would've sworn I heard her say my name.

I had to have been dreaming.

I hear the bang before I feel the piercing in my thigh. I swallow another scream.

"Why are you doing this?" I plead. "I'm your friend."

"It was a lie," she says, her lip quivered. "If I had known about you, I would've cared less about you. I couldn't have, because you're disgusting. A murderer, a liar."

It doesn't matter at all; how I act, what I am, who I am, I don't belong. I should never have been born; just ask my father.

I look away from her, at the gate behind her. My eyes sting, but I'm not breaking down. She's going to kill me, end of story. No point begging for a different outcome.

Why couldn't I have told Elena how I feel?

I'm tempted to tell Liz to add "Coward" to her list of hatreds about me.

"He's not going to say anything. And neither is the other one." Liz nods her head toward the back. "Kill them both. First stake them through the heart, then burn them."

"Don't kill Stefan. Please, just let him go. It was me, I killed all those people." I beg. Then add in disgust, "He eats . . . bunnies."

Liz ignores me and sheaths her gun. Her stake is thin and she kneels down by me.

I close my eyes.

There is a clank, a shriek and a scream, but no pain comes. I don't dare opening my eyes, I don't want to see Liz's face, don't want to know that she didn't hesitate.

"Damon!" I hear Elena now and feel my stomach turn inside out. "Sheriff, don't!"

I feel her weight hit me and my eyes flash open. Elena is leaning over me, glaring at Liz.

"Elena?" Liz asks. "What are you doing here?"

Caroline slinks behind, biting her lip as she makes her way to the back. In a flash, she's gone.

"You can't kill him," Elena says, leaning back harder on me. I hold in a gasp as her hand pushes down the bullet in my chest.

"Elena," Liz says, sounding like a mom. "You don't know what he is. Move aside."

I instinctively grab her hand; I don't want her to go.

She squeezes it back. "I know. I know what he is, I know what Stefan is, and I don't care, you can't hurt them."

"Too late," I mutter sarcastically.

Elena looks down at me, hear brown eyes are filled with tears.

"Elena, you need to go." Liz pushes her arm lightly.

I bite my tongue not to yell at her.

The two deputies are back now. One of them has their gun pointed at me, obviously, but the other has it pointed at Elena. I will light myself on fire before I let them touch her.

"Elena, I'm sorry." Liz grabs the butt of her gun. "You can't know about all this."

"No," I croak out.

The air makes a whoosh and the first deputy is screaming. I look up and see Caroline biting into his neck, and the smell of blood washes over my face. I choke, and try to ignore the craving.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The first deputy falls and Caroline breaks the seconds neck as soon as his bullets run out. She screams and backs into the corner.

"Caroline?" Liz says. She looks scared and hurt, as if our situations were switched.

Caroline blinks at her. "Hi Mom."

Liz lets out a sob, and hides her face.

Elena turns to look at me. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head no. "Just pass over that one Caroline didn't drain, please."

She squeamishly pushed the deputy toward me and I bit into the back of his neck. While indulging in his blood, thinned and tainted by alcohol and several bullet shots, I yanked the bullets out of me and quickly as I could. I held my breath as I pulled out the one under my kneecap.

When I was through with him, I sat up and wiped my mouth.

Then it hit me. "Stefan."

Elena gasped and ran down the hall. Carefully, I got up and followed her.

Before I had even turned the corner, Elena screamed, and Caroline and I rushed after her.

I knew she wasn't in trouble, because what she screamed made me want to fall to the ground again.

"Stefan!"


	5. Chapter 5

Elena POV 3

Tears were falling hot and fast now, as I collapsed next to Stefan. He was bleeding hard and his eyes were fluttering. His whole body jerked when I grasped the stake; plunged so far into him it pierced the floor.

"Don't," He begs. "Please."

"Stefan," I sob. "Stefan it's going to be okay."

I heard Caroline choke behind me.

"Elena," Stefan said, his voice was hoarse, rough, as if it hurt to breathe.

I grab his hand, and wait for him to speak.

"I love you," He chokes out. He puts my hand on his chest, just above the wooden death plunge. "This will always be yours."

I lean my head down on his stomach. "Mine belongs to–"

"No." He coughs and lets out a whimper when it hurts him. "Be happy. Don't hurt over me."

"Stefan . . ." I cry. "But . . ."

"Be happy," He repeats. "Please."

I kiss his forehead and he lets out a quiet moan.

"Tell . . . tell Damon . . ." His voice breaks and he tries again. "T-tell Damon."

And then his hand goes limp, and I'm sitting by the dead body of the man I love, and he won't hear me say I love you too.

I sob into his shirt for hours, with Caroline watching me. I realize I'm begging him, saying, "Stefan, Stefan please."

Caroline sits behind me and rubs my back gently. "I'm sorry, Elena."

"Damon?" I ask. I don't know what's wrong with me, but something makes me want to know he's okay.

Caroline looks behind her, and then looks at me. "He never made it down here."

"Your mom." I feel myself begin to panic, and I drop Stefan's hand like a hot potato and rush to where Sheriff Forbes is. She is still sitting on the floor, with her face buried in her hands, and Caroline leans down. "Mom?"

"Don't touch me!" She screams.

"Mom, it's me! It's me! It's Caroline!" Caroline says.

Sheriff Forbes pushes her away. "Please! Get away from me."

Caroline flinches. "Mom, it's me! Your daughter!"

"My daughter's dead." Sheriff Forbes shoves Caroline off.

I see tears slide down Caroline's face.

Caroline starts to compel Sheriff Forbes, to which she starts crying and screaming. I don't hear it.

Where is Damon?

I consider going back to Stefan, but I know I'll never leave. I'll stay there, bawling until I starve to death or cry all the liquid out of my body. So, still crying, I walk up the stairs and out into the cold night.

The frigid air pierces into me and I wince. My hair flies back and I hug myself, wondering how long I was with Stefan. My heart falls when I think of him, how I'll never hear his laugh again, how I'll never see that amazing smile or feel his comforting embrace.

How does he expect me to be happy? How could he possibly expect me to fall in love again?

In the back of my mind, I hear a whisper . . . Damon.

What did he want me to tell Damon?

I walk forward into the blurry forest, hoping I don't fall over a branch. I would lie on the wet grass, waiting for some vampire to come eat me.

I sniffle and call out the only person I can talk to right now.

"Damon!"


	6. Chapter 6

Damon POV 3

I shouldn't have left.

I should've waited, stayed with Elena, let Stefan tell me to go to hell one more time before he died. I shouldn't have left Elena with Caroline. And what about Liz? She could be sending an army after me right now. I can see it; twenty men surrounding my house, with wood tipped bullets in their guns and stakes strapped to their belts. Fifteen more would break down the door, grabbing my arms and pinning me to the cold ground. Liz would stand over me; probably try to torture me into giving over information about vampires. I wouldn't tell her anything, but she would try to make me.

I wouldn't fight.

What was the last thing I said to Stefan? I try to remember. Maybe it was Thank You, because he told me he's got my back. He wouldn't let me go alone, because he loved me.

I hadn't told Stefan I loved him in over two hundred years.

I remember now. I was mocking him about his bunny diet.

I walk in the front door of the Salvatore house, and find myself pouring the scotch into a glass. I throw it back, and before I even swallow it, I'm pouring myself a refill.

My eyes are burning more than my throat, and I feel my walls closing in, causing an ache deep within my chest. I feel as if I might die, could this be what a heart attack feels like? If only I were human, I would welcome death right now.

I close my eyes and cover my mouth. I lean forward, knowing if I weren't already dead, I would vomit. What did Stefan look like? Did they stake him? Was he dead when Elena found him? Did she get to say goodbye?

Would he even have acknowledged me?

I sniff and swallow the scotch.

I try to think about something else, anything else . . . something that won't make me have a mental break down. Yeah, yeah that would be good.

Elena.

I can still tell Elena. I can tell her how I feel. Maybe not now, because that would just be a little inappropriate, considering. Elena. Elena. Elena, Elena, Elena–

"Damon?"

I jump and my mind goes blank. I turn around in the chair and see her standing there, that flowing brown hair surrounding her perfectly tanned tear stained face. Her eyes are foggy, and I want to hug her. I stand up and set the bottle on the table. I take a few steps forward, and she leans against the wall. I hold out my hand, and she extends her arm like she's going to take it.

Then she lifts her arm and slams her hand into my cheek.

I stumble backward and press my hand on my face.

"It's your fault!" She screams. "It's your fault he's dead!"

It feels like I got stabbed. "Elena . . ."

"No! You killed him! This is all. Your. Fault! Why did you even come here? You ruined him and I, you ruined this town. It's your fault Mason even knew about you two!"

"I know," I tell her. I press my lips in a tight line, feeling myself shutting down internally.

"You know..." She says quietly, almost like she's asking a question.

I stare at the floor; I can't stand the hate in her eyes.

"It should've been you," She growls. "You should be the one that died."

I look into her eyes and my entire body goes cold. I swallow hard; I can't believe she actually just said that to me. "Elena."

"I hate you!" She yells. She shoves both hands into my chest and I fall down the two stairs, landing on my back. "I hate you, Damon Salvatore!"

I wince at the pain that shot up my back. Then what she said hits me, and my jaw shakes. The bottom of my vision gets foggy and I press my eyes together tightly. I feel my insides tangling, and I wish I could sink deep into the ground. The earth is shaking and I can't see anything but her now.

"Stay away from me," Elena snarls.

I look up at her and shake my head. "Gladly."

She looks at me with disgust, and turns and leaves, slamming the door behind her.

I don't stand up, what's the point?


	7. Chapter 7

Elena POV 4

I ran out the door into the night. It had begun to rain, how appropriate. The water hid my tears. What made me say that to Damon? What made me so angry? Was it the fact he looked unfazed by the nights events? Or was it how he was sitting in that chair, drinking. And then he tried to touch me, what was he going to do? Bite me? Kill me? How drunk was he?

I shiver as the water seeps into my clothes. It takes me forty-five minutes for me to get home, and when I do Jenna is right there.

"Where have you been?" She says. "You are soaking wet." She takes a pause and stares at me. My eyes have got to be red. "Elena, honey, are you okay?"

Alaric stands up from the couch and walks over to us. He takes the blanket off the back of a chair and drapes it over me. "What happened?"

"Stefan . . ." I say.

"Did you guys break up, sweetie?" Jenna asks when I don't finish.

Jeremy comes down stairs. "What's going on?"

I shake my head at Jenna. "Sheriff Forbes . . . sh-she thought he was a . . ." I catch myself. "I don't know, but she thought he was something and she . . . she killed him. She killed him, Jenna!" I hug her.

Jenna holds me back, and I know Alaric will know Liz knows – or knew, depending on if Caroline was able to compel her.

Jeremy comes up and touches my back. "E, I'm so sorry."

I'm already sick of hearing that. Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. They shouldn't be sorry; did they kill him? No.

Who should be sorry is Mason Lockwood.

I cried on Jenna's shoulder for hours, and when I finally got a hold of myself, Alaric put his arm around me while Jeremy paced and Jenna went to call the school, saying I wouldn't attend tomorrow. After that, I went upstairs to my room.

My pillows smell like Stefan, I notice. My head throbs.

I sit in my room for days, Bonnie comes over once in a while, and Caroline gives me space. Days turn to weeks, and I hardly eat. I'm not hungry, or thirsty, if I had my way I would starve to death up in my room and go join Stefan wherever he is. But, eventually, Jenna makes me go back to school.

"I know this is hard on you, Elena, especially so close to Vicki, and Anna, and your parents. But life goes on, I know it seems like it never will, but I'm sure something will be done about this, Stefan will have his justice, I promise," she says.

I don't respond, I just got up, showered, got dressed and went to school. I don't see the point; really, I'm not learning anything. I'm just sitting there, wasting oxygen. Alaric tried to get me involved in History, but I just stared at him until he gave up and moved on.

As I walked out the school doors I started to wonder about Damon. I hadn't heard of one death in weeks, where was Damon?

Why do I care? Maybe he's starving himself, maybe he's dead; dead would be good.

I cringe and walk to my car. It stalls on me for a while but then starts up. I sniffle and press the gas a little too hard, getting the bird and some yells from the people in the parking lot.

When I get home, I finish what homework I was given and fall into my bed. With in moments, I'm asleep.

* * *

_I just need to say it once; you just need to hear it. I love you Elena,_ says Damon's voice.

_Stefan, I love you._ That was me.

_Damon!_ Stefan.

_I'm a vampire._ Stefan.

_Stefan!_ Me.

_Katherine._ Stefan.

_This is your fault!_ Was yelled by Damon and me.

_And it's because I love you, that you can't know this._ Damon.

_I don't deserve you, but Stefan does. He needs you, I do too, but I'm stronger. I can watch at a distance. _Damon.

_Please, don't hurt him!_ Me again.

_God, why do you have to forget this?_ Damon.

_Damon, don't! _Stefan yells.

_I wish you didn't._ Damon.

_You and I . . . we have something._ Me.

_But I can't be selfish with you. _Damon's words wash over me. _So you do._

Everything goes black and I feel myself falling.

_I can't be falling in love with Damon._

_But I am._

_

* * *

_

I jump so hard in my bed I slide out of it. I'm on all fours on the floor now, screaming at the wood floor.

I sit up, there is a crow sitting outside my window in my tree. The cemetery comes to my mind, and I begin to cry.


	8. Chapter 8

Damon's POV

The house seems so big and empty without Stefan, and with the alcohol and no blood, I feel myself spinning. The fireplace is jumping up and down and I set the glass of scotch down.

I smell her before I hear her. "Hello, Damon."

I look back at her, the dark flowing brown hair, the mischievous brown eyes of a cat, looking for her prey. The purple shirt that appears to be a favorite of hers, and those skinny, shiny jeans are a dead give away to which Petrova she is. She is fidgeting with a pair of gardening gloves, which seems unlike her.

"Katherine," I reply back.

She smiles hard at me. "Where's Stefan?"

My stomach drops quicker than my face. "You don't know?"

Her face becomes a bright red and her lips purse. "I was hoping it wasn't true."

"Well, he's dead." I hear my words slurring. "Oooooh well."

She snarls at me. "Damon, Damon, Damon. How selfish are you? What about poor little Elena?"

"What about Elena?" I ask a little too quickly.

"Oh, I was asking her about Stefan, seeing if she knew anything . . . she did. Told me he was gone." Her lip trembles a bit. "I was angry, so I snapped her little neck."

Usually, that would've angered me to no end, I would've stood up and staked her with a pencil, but now it burned. It burned and stung and throbbed, it was worse than getting shot. I shook my head slowly, and swallowed hard. "You're lying."

Katherine rolls her eyes. "I'd say 'I wish', but really, I don't."

"No." I shake my head. "Katherine, please."

She smirks. "Isn't it sad, you killed your brother and his girlfriend; because I never would've gone to Elena if you hadn't taken Stefan with you. Why did you do that anyhow? Were you afraid of the big bad wolf? Or was it the sheriff?"

I close my eyes tight. My walls are trembling.

"You have no shame. You never cry." She pulls something out from behind her back. "I will make you cry."

It all goes black.

When I finally do wake up, it's dark and cold. My hands are shaking, and my face is wet. I shift in the uncomfortable wooden chair I am sitting in, and try to rub my hands together, but I'm being help down. I try to pull my arm up, and it burns.

"Don't fight it."

I flinch.

"Vervain, why would you grow this?" She is wearing the gloves she came in with, and she is holding the fluffy plant, fingering it like it's gold. She walks toward me and puts her hand on my shoulder before sitting on my lap. "Don't you think it's kind of dangerous?"

She moves the leaves slowly down my jaw line. I feel myself start to shake, and I scream. No one is going to hear my anyway.

She kisses my nose. "Just pretend I'm Elena."

Her name makes me feel like I got punched in the chest. She can't be dead. She can't.

"Please," I hear myself say. Not to Katherine, I don't know who I'm talking to. Maybe Elena, maybe I'm begging her to be okay.

Katherine pulls my shirt up and drags the vervain down my stomach. I gasp and try not to cry out, but I fail miserably.

She tilts her head to the side. "Imagine what Stefan went through." She grabs a small wooden stake from behind her back; it must've been tucked in her belt. "With how long it's been since you've had blood, you're about as strong as he was." She shoves the stake down into my thigh and I bite my tongue. She twists it and yanks it out on an angle. A shriek falls from my mouth. She sticks it into my shoulder and leaves it there. I gasp and stare at what little blood I had left in my body start to drain away.

Katherine cocks her eyebrow. "You do have blood, huh?"

She sits back down and stares into my eyes. It feels like she's digging into my every personal waking thought. I would squirm if I could move.

She leans forward and her lips brush against my collarbone, and on to the side of my neck. Her hand snake up and cups the back of my head before grabbing my hair and yanking my head back, exposing my neck. I suddenly feel vulnerable.

"Don't." I feel myself trembling hard. "Please, Katherine, don't."

She smiles against my skin, and sinks her teeth into me. I gasp and growl, trying not to shout. The pain is intense, and it last for what seems like forever before my world gets foggy. I don't want to pass out, I don't want to be left that helpless, not to Katherine. I can't pass out; she'll kill me. And even with nothing to lose, I don't want to die.

For the first time in a long time, I'm scared.

As hard as I try to stay awake, the darkness swallows me and I'm gone.


	9. Chapter 9

Elena POV

I yawn and curl up into my bed, it's extremely dewy this morning and I'm chilly. Thank God it's Saturday. My nose is numb from the cold.

My dream is haunting me. I keep hearing Damon – I love you, Elena – and seeing him, standing in front of me. I feel his lips touch my forehead, and I want more. It had to be the most vivid dream I've ever had.

I'm not mentally tired, but my body is glued to the sheets. It's about six AM now, and considering I got out of bed and was panting like a loon for a full hour, I should be sleeping. What had woken me up anyway?

My phone vibrates. When I pick it up and look at the caller ID and my brow furrows. Stefan?

I flip it open and shyly say, "Hello?"

"Ah, I knew you'd answer for Stefan," my voice replies with a hard cored edge. "What, still mad at the older brother? You weren't answering his calls."

"Katherine," I say.

"No, silly goose, it's Caroline! I wanted to know if you'd be at cheerleading practice or what?" Katherine groans. "Duh!"

"What do you want?" I ask, bored. "Why do you have Stefan's phone?"

"You're saying his name weird, does it still hurt?" I hear her swallow. "You left your diary over here, by the way. You're feelings for Damon are so tragic. It's almost . . . Shakespearian."

I bite my fingertip. God forbid she shows that to Damon. "What do you want?" I repeat.

"Right to the point, huh?" She snickers. "Oh, Damon's ring fits with your diary. Poor boy. He misses you, dearly, keeps muttering your name in his sleep. Rather annoying, to be honest."

"Don't you dare touch him," I blurt.

"_Grrrowl_!" She snarls, but I can hear her smiling. "Someone's a bit protective."

"Katherine, leave him alone." I say.

"Here he goes again." There is a rustling noise and I hear Damon making soft sounds, almost as if he's been sleeping for hours and is not willing to great another day. "Elena . . . please, no." He moans. "Elena."

My eyes start to sting. "What have you done to him?"

"Nothing yet," She says. "I'm just going to leave him here. I'm sure he'd great the sunshine. Might brighten him up a bit."

In the background, Damon makes a sound that is so close to a whimper my heart breaks. I shoot out of bed and grab my jeans, and hoodie. Maybe if I just distract her long enough she won't hurt him anymore.

"How can you be so loving of him?" Katherine asks. "He killed Stefan! Don't you understand that?"

My jaw clenches. "It wasn't his fault."

"Oh, really? I heard you tell him it was." She laughs. "I knew you were a doppelganger, but I didn't know you had a joint personality too!"

"It was a spur-of-the-moment burst of anger." I walk out the door quietly, trying not to wake Jeremy. "You've read that I l–how I feel about him."

She sighs. "Well, you also know how I feel about him." The rustling is back and I hear Damon whisper something. It sounded like No. "And I think he needs to pay."

Damon screams over the speakers and the phone falls out of my hand. I can still hear him down the hall, and I don't care about being quiet anymore. I run out the door, not bothering to lock it or close it properly. I jump into my car and rush into the woods, running over a bush, tree, and the possible woodland creature as I go. The sun is rising over the horizon as I rush up the steps of the boarding house and Katherine meets me at the door.

"Too late, honey." She throws Damon's ring at my face and is gone in a flash. I lean forward and pick it up before I rush into the house.

Damon is lying on the floor, with blood on his neck and shoulder, and burn marks on his face, arms and his exposed stomach. His lips look raw, and them trembling makes my heart twist.

I rush forward and put the ring on his finger. "Damon?"

The sun touches his hair before I do. He lets out a short breath and his eyes flutter open. His icy blue stare hooks on mine, his eyes are full of pain and sadness. His eyebrows furrow and his hand twitches. "Elena?"

I pick up his hand and press it to my cheek. "You're okay. It's going to be okay, I promise."

This time, I mean it.

"You're alive?" A smile touches his lips and I see his walls fall down. I hold my jaw tight when he starts crying.

Me? I grab the letter opener off the desk and slash open my wrist. He shakes his head and turns to look away from me, but I shove my hand into his mouth. He resists at first, but eventually he gives up and drinks from me. It's a strangely thrilling sensation, more exhilarating than Stefan ever was. My lips part slightly and I sigh, leaning over Damon's chest. I feel him stop, and I want to press him for more, but I already feel lightheaded. I lean back on the couch and move his head into my lap.

"Elena, I love you." Damon grabs my hand, and his voice breaks on the next sentence. "I love you so much."

"I know," I reply. I kiss his forehead. "I love you, too."

His smiles and his eyes close, he buries his face into my hoodie, and I see his whole body relax. I rub small circles on the burn marks on his stomach. He moans slightly when I push down on his neck with the end of my hoodie.

I touch his lips gently, wondering what it would feel like to kiss them, and lay my head back on the couch.

Just before I fall into dreamland, I make a promise. A promise to myself, and to Damon.

I promise, that if it's the last thing I do, I will end Katherine Pierce.


	10. Chapter 10

Damon POV

When I woke up I couldn't remember the last time I was happier. Elena was right there with me, and she was okay. I need to remember not to believe Katherine ever again. She lies to get what she wants, that's all there is to it. I opened my eyes and looked up at Elena. She was leaning back on the couch and looked calm. I hadn't seen her look that relaxed since she found out about vampires.

I sat up slowly and tried not to stare at her cut hand. My teeth had sunk in and left a mark and I just hope it didn't hurt her. I thought I was going to start laughing like a moron from exciting it was for me. Her blood had tasted so magnificent, and if I hadn't heard her sigh I might've killed her.

I wince at the thought.

She complains when I sit up off of her. I scoot closer to her and pull her to me. She lays her head on my chest and her hand lies on my leg. She snuggles into me, and murmurs, "Damon?"

"Shh," I whisper. "I'm right here."

She grunts and shoves her palms into her eyes. "What happened last night?"

My heart sinks and I snatch my arm away from her. "What do you remember?"

She wipes her mouth. "Uh . . . I came in and saved you from Katherine."

"Yeah." I suck my lips inside my mouth and bite them. "What else?"

She looks awkward now and blushes. "You, um, thought I was dead? And you told me you loved me."

I swallow and don't say anything. _Please remember._

"And . . ." She stares at her hands. "I told you the truth."

I slowly reach my hand out and caress her face, begging her to look at me. "What's the truth now?"

Those deep chocolate eyes meet mine, and her perfect lips part slightly. "That I . . . I love you, too."

I smile at her and my walls fall down again. It's dangerous to let myself trust her, but I can't help it. I _trust_ her.

Elena stares at me, and her eyes travel down to my lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I tell her.

She leans forward slightly and she closes her eyes. I let her get a bit closer before I close mine, and when our lips touch I feel electricity rush into my veins. Her hands crawl up my shirt and she pushes me backwards. My hands traveled down her tiny body and I left them on her hips. She crawls on top of me and kisses my neck. I throw my head back, giving her full access. Her tongue snakes out and teases at my throat and let out a low growl. I grab her arms and put her underneath me in a flash. Her brown eyes are huge and then she smiles. She wraps her arms around my neck and deepens the kiss. I put my legs on the outside of her hips and press down. She gasps into my mouth and leans her head back. I kiss her neck and then feel something hit my stomach.

_Blood_.

I jerk away and when she grabs my shirt I panic. I press her hands down onto the couch, and her eyes widen again. I bite my lip. "I'm sorry."

She shakes her head, but she's staring under my eyes, which makes me think my craving is showing. I feel embarrassed and look down at her shirt, memorizing it. Pink, that's a new one. Her bra is peaking out now and I jerk when I feel myself want to do something about that.

"Do it," Elena says. "It's okay."

I look at her and wonder if she magically just read my mind and almost flush. Then she tilts her head to the side and my inside crunch.

"Elena." I shake my head, but my mouth touches her fragile skin. "I can't hurt you."

"You won't." I realize I'm still holding her hands down but don't make a move to change that. "Trust me."

I close my eyes and sink in.

She gasps and her body does a little wave under me. She moans my name and my hand cups the back of her neck. Her free hand touches my back and pushes me down on her. I pull back, even though I want more, and kiss her lips again.

But she's not done.

She shoves me off her and onto the floor. I see her grab the glass I'd been drinking out of for a month and she slams it on the table. She straddles me around the waist and presses the glass onto my neck.

"Do you trust me?" She asks.

"Elena . . ." I whisper. Does she have any idea what she's planning on doing?

She must've taken that as a yes because I feel a sting. She leans forward and starts sucking.

My breath jerks out and I suddenly feel as though I can. Not. Move. I move my hand to the back of her head and press her. She responds by sucking harder and harder and her hand travels to my jean zipper.

She stops and the wound heals. She wipes my blood off her mouth and kisses me again. My heart is in my throat; I can't believe what I've been missing out on.

The rest of the day is a blur, but next thing I know is I'm upstairs in my bed with a bare Elena pressed to my side. Her leg was draped over mine and her arm was snugly pressed between the bed and me. She drew patterns on my stomach.

I close my eyes, calm as ever, and fell into sleep.

When I wake up, Elena's gone.


	11. Chapter 11

Elena POV

When I wake up, I don't open my eyes immediately. Could that have really happened? Did Damon and I . . . really? I feel a smile tug at my lips. And I had daydreamed about _kissing_ him.

I stretch my arms forward and roll over. But when I open my eyes it's still dark. Did I wake up in the middle of a dream, maybe? Weird. I try to reach my hand up to rub my eyes, but my wrists are bound together. I gasp and try to pull them apart to no avail. I sit up and . . .

_THUD!_

"Ow!" I mutter aloud as I ram my forehead into a cool piece of metal. I now notice my ankles are tied too, and I begin to panic. I tug my arms and legs apart, no luck.

I hear a crunching noise, and my body jerks upward. My brows furrow and I look around. _Crunch, crunch, crunch. Pop._

Light hits me in the eyes and I squint up at the man. He leans forward to pick me up and I scream.

He doesn't even flinch. He tucks me under one arm and carries my over to another car, a giant SUV. I try to kick him, but he barely moves. He opens the trunk and throws me into the back. There is a dog cage, blocking me from the two drivers; a female with short brown hair and a male with the same length of hair, but darker. They are both wearing sunglasses and hats, as if they are major celebrities hiding from paparazzi.

There is a tap on the window, and the female rolls it down in the drivers seat. "What?" She asks with a heavy accent I cannot place.

"What are you going to do to her?" Asks the man who put me here.

The boy snorts.

The woman lowers her glasses a bit. "Why does that matter to you?"

"I – I was j-just wondering," He stutters.

"Hop in," says the boy.

"Trevor," The girl says.

"What?" Says the man.

"Just hop in." Trevor lifts his hand and pulls his fingers in invitation.

The man listens and gets in the back. Then the car revs forward. Trevor and the girl start arguing about how something was unnecessary. I lean forward.

"Please," I whisper. "Why are you doing this?"

He looks back at me, and stares at my body for a moment too long. I look down and realize the pig didn't bother to place me in a robe, and I am wearing only my bra and panties. I try to cover myself with my legs and arms, but it doesn't work for the better.

He looks back at the road, and I don't even want to know what he's thinking.

I swallow hard and feel myself begin to shiver. What will Damon think when he wakes up and I'm not there? Will he be mad? What if he thinks I just up and left, or he thinks it was only a dream.

The car stops by an old, dreary house and the drivers get out of the car. The girl opens the back door and invites the man outside. He follows her to the front of the vehical, and Trevor grabs his arm. The girl and him shove the man back on the hood of the van and they sink they're teeth into him.

I scream in unison with the man.

"No!" I grab onto the gate. "No, stop! Please!"

Within moments, the man goes limp and his head lulls back, his blank eyes staring into mine before the vampires shove him to the ground.

I hear the woman say, "Get the girl."

The boy opens the back door and yanks the gate off its hinges. He reaches toward me, I jump away but he snatches my hair. I cry out once I'm in the open. "Damon! Somebody, please! Anyone!"

The boy shoves me into the house, and I fall to the ground with my ankles bound.

"So nice." The girl leans forward and picks me up as if I am nothing and throws me to Trevor. "Carry her to the couch."

I try to kick away, but he can't even tell. I ram my arm into the wall as we go, and I feel hot liquid dripping down my arm.

Trevor drops me on the hard floor.

The girl groans. "Can't you do anything?"

"Can't you smell it?" He asks. "Rose, just take a whiff."

"My nose operates perfectly fine," Rose hisses. "Come along."

"C'mon." Trevor leans forward and touches my bare stomach. "Just a taste."

I gasp and shout, "No!"

"Trevor, you just had a half with me!" Rose mutters.

"He was tainted, alcohol and cigars." Trevor runs his nose up my arm, to my shoulder, and his tongue snakes out and hits my neck. "She's pure and clean, you can smell it!"

I tremble under his hand.

"Trevor, control yourself." Rose takes a step forward. "She is not ours. You cannot kill–"

"I won't kill her!" Trevor insists. "You know you want to."

The skin under Rose's eyes moves and her irises turn black. "Well . . ."

"Please." My voice is a whisper. "Please don't do this."

They don't appear to hear me. Rose grabs the arm with the scrap on it and Trevor sinks into my neck. I scream at the top of my lungs at the fire going through me. When my Damon did it, I felt like soaring, now I feel like crying.

I feel myself begin to get lightheaded as Rose pulls away. "Trevor," she says. "Trevor, stop!"

A breath escapes my lips and their voices become fainter and fainter.

"Trevor, that's enough!" Rose is yelling, but I can barely hear her as I fall into a stiff unconsciousness.

The last thing I remember thinking before darkness took me down was . . . _Damon_.


	12. Chapter 12

Damon POV

"What do you mean Elena is missing?" Caroline yells in my face.

"Do I need to spell this out for you?" I ask, annoyed by her whiny little voice and accusing tone. "Elena spent the night with me, and when I woke up her clothes were on the floor and she was gone! If you would like for me to go into detail on the nights events, I'd be happy to."

"Ew, no." I notice her blue eyes travel over my shoulder and back to Matt Donovan, her EX, whom of which she was stalking before I got here. She shakes her head and looks back at me as a group of drunken college students saunter – a better term would be stumble – into the Mystic Grill. "Okay, besides you, who seriously gets drunk in the middle of the day?"

"Caroline, if you aren't going to help me find Elena I don't need to be wasting my time with you." Airheaded cheer-vamp.

"No!" Caroline says sadly. "Look, I'm sorry. But what am I supposed to do?"

"I was hoping you could get your little witchy friend to help me out." I lift my brow at her, trying to point out how obvious that truly is.

"Oh! Right." Caroline looks like I just told her a falling star landed in her hair. "But Bonnie hates me."

"Oh, sorry, I forgot, she hates you because you are her best friend and I am the big-bad-vampire dude who she has tried to kill on more than one occasion. So, really, I'll ask her myself." I stand up. "If anything happens to Elena, I _will_ come after you."

Caroline grabs my hand. "Fine!"

* * *

"Elena is what!" Bonnie screams.

"That appears to be the common response." I smirk at her.

"Caroline, what is going on?" Bonnie asks, not even looking at me.

I don't want to believe something could have happened to Elena. Why hadn't I heard who came in? Did someone come in? Was she scared? Where is my Elena? My hands start shaking. _Please don't let anything be wrong._

" . . . And Damon just needs help to find out where she is so we were hoping your witch voodoo could save the day!" Caroline finishes.

Bonnie stares at her open-mouthed before gawking at me. "You and Elena?"

I roll my eyes, what is wrong with the women in this town? "Look, I just need to find Elena! So help me, I will kill both of you if all of your gawking gets her hurt."

Bonnie starts running in the opposite direction. Caroline and I share a glance before we follow after her. I see her run into the school and down the hall, into Alaric Saltzman's room.

"You do know you're a little late, yes?" Ric asks. "Hi Damon. Have you seen Elena?"

"Finally, someone cares!" I say. "You should seriously lock the doors to the school if you don't wanna die."

Bonnie pushes Ric's chair back and scans through his drawers. "Uh . . ." Alaric cocks his brow. "What are you guys up to?"

"Elena's missing," Caroline blabs. "And Vamp Voodoo is gonna save her." She looks at me. "Right?"

I don't respond.

Bonnie pulls out a map of Virginia and lays it on the desk. "Do either of you have a phone?"

"Why would that matter?" I ask, bored.

"I need blood, and the blood of a family member is better, so I need Jeremy." She stares at me.

I roll my eyes and bite my wrist open. "Elena is a Petrova, not a Gilbert. I should still have her blood."

"You drank from her?" Bonnie snarls. "How could you?"

"Shut up and do you're spell." I squeeze my wrist until the blood drips onto the map.

"Why should I help you?" she asks.

I stare at her. "It's Elena."

Bonnie stares at the map a moment and closes her eyes. The blood – Elena's blood, my blood – begins to crawl on the map. When it finally comes to a stop, it's in the middle of a field. "She's there." Bonnie points.

I move away from map and rush out the door, to my house, into my car. I drive way over the speed limit, but I don't care. I need to find Elena.

_Be okay,_ I mentally beg her. _Please._


	13. Chapter 13

**Elena POV**

When I finally did wake up I was sore all over. It felt like I had been in the car crash all over again. Only this time, instead of being kidnapped by my boyfriend, I have been kidnapped by two, blood crazy vampires.

"I cannot believe you, '_I won't kill her_!' You could very well have killed the Petrova doppelganger! And for what? She smells good."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I swear! You've always had better self-control and you know it."

"You said just a taste and it's been hours! Do you realize what Elijah is going to do to us if she's in a coma?"

I cough, and instantly feel scared again. My chest aches, and I wonder if I haven't got a lung punctured. My eyes flutter open.

"Oh, thank God," Rose cries. She looks at Trevor. "You are _so_ lucky."

"I know . . ." There is the sound of a door opening downstairs. "Oh God, no. _No_. That's him! Rose, please, I can't do this. Please!"

"What?" I moan.

Rose grabs Trevor's shoulders. "Calm down! It's all going to be okay, I promise."

Trevor nods, but I can see the panic in his eyes.

"Rose?" A voice of velvet rises from below. He sounds agitated. "Rosemarie, are you here?"

Trevor lets out a low whimper and takes a step back. "Please, Rose."

Rose looks at Trevor like a girlfriend would, and kisses his cheek. "There is nowhere to go."

Trevor rubs his temples and starts to pace. When the velvet voice lifts again, Rose zaps away. Trevor looks at me, tears in his dark eyes, and mumbles, "I'm sorry about earlier."

"Don't worry," I say, brushing it off. "Who is that?"

"No one."

"Why are you scared of him then?" I ask.

"I trusted Katarina Petrova," He says. He bites his lip and sits at the end of the bed.

"Katherine." My voice is a whisper. Trevor looks so small and helpless sitting there, he looks so scared . . . I want to comfort him. I sit up and am almost instantly tugged back down. I then realize my waist and wrists tie me down. "What is this?" I shout.

"If I could give him the doppelganger, he wouldn't be out for blood anymore. That is what this is. Rose is asking for our freedom in return for you." Trevor looks back at me.

"What does he want with me?" I beg. "Please."

Trevor shakes his head. "Killing you will break the curse, all he wants is to break the curse. I'm so sorry."

I feel like vomiting when a thought rings into my mind. Could this have been how Stefan felt? Damon?

I stare at the ceiling.

There is the sound of a cars breaks squealing outside along with the sound of two sets of footsteps coming up the stairs.

"She's there." At Rose's words, Trevor backs far into the corner.

The man who walks in is dressed in a black suit, black shirt, pants, shoes and black tie. He looks as if he is going to a funeral. "Very tricky of you." His voice is seductive and smooth. "Covering her in Petrova blood like that. It is very nice to see you again, _Katarina_."

"It is not Katarina, Elijah," Rose informs. "She is truly human."

Elijah looks over his shoulder at Trevor and his eyes become cold. "I admit, I admire that were able to get Katarina down on the bed in such a . . . revealing sort. But I do not appreciate this rouse." He takes a step forward.

"No! She's human!" Trevor yells as Elijah pins him to the wall by his neck. "Please."

"Don't!" Rose yells.

Elijah slaps Trevor. Blood spews as Trevor's head flies off his shoulders and rolls toward me. Rose and I scream as one.

Rose starts crying as Elijah shoves Rose to the floor. "Wait!" She screams.

Elijah groans. "What now, Rosemarie?"

"Sh-she's human." Rose writhes on the floor. "Just check her."

Elijah rolls his eyes. "Fine."

"No," I whisper. "No, no, no. Don't, please, don't."

Elijah lifts his brow. "Katarina?"

"I – I . . . I just. Please." I curse myself, Katherine would never beg.

Elijah leans forward and I feel his moist lips on my neck. Shivers rush up my spine and tears stream down my face. Elijah's teeth graze my neck, and as they sink in I let out a scream. I didn't mean for it to slip out, but it did anyway. "_DAMON_!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Damon**

As I stared at the unmoving corpse outside the old building I heard a scream. I froze and listened closely, but then heard someone yell, "Wait!" and suddenly I didn't care. It wasn't Elena's voice, and Elena was the only one I was interested in. I open the vans door and stick my head inside, whispering her name. When I got no response I punched the window, causing it to shatter into hundred of little pieces.

"_DAMON_!"

I ran to the door of the old building and grabbed onto the doorknobs. I yanked them back and felt the wood snap under my hands. I grabbed a splintered fragment of the door of the ground and rushed upstairs.

When I got to the room, a man was holding Elena, wearing only her bra and panties. She had blood running down both sides of her neck and on her arm. A woman is on the floor, and a man with his head a good ten feet away from his shoulders.

"Damon . . ." Elena's voice broke and she grabbed at the mans arm. When I took a step toward her, the crying woman on the floor grabbed my ankle. She had to be a vampire, because she made me stop. She muttered, "Don't." I kicked her hand off and glared at the man. "Let her go."

He sneered. "I'm comfortable."

Elena's body leaned forward with her cries and my heart lurched. I didn't care about that she didn't want me to, I rushed behind her captor and ran the splintering wood into him. He hit the ground, and Elena was shaking. I took my jacket off in a flash and wrapped it around her, holding her tiny body to me.

"It's okay," I whispered into her ear. "It's okay, I'm here. Nothing's going to happen to you."

She sobbed into my shirt, and the crying girl on the floor made a move to stand up.

"Don't. Even. Try!" I snarled.

She glares at me. "Salvatore, right?"

"As in Savior." I bare my teeth to her. "How do you know me?"

"Stefan?" She asks.

Elena's voice shakes slightly as she tries to say my name, and she gives up and buries her face in my neck. I pick her tiny frame up and let her sit on my forearm.

"Salvatore is good," I say.

She nods as if she could care less.

Elena's tears hit my skin, and I hold back the ones that burn at the back of mine. I kiss her forehead and murmur that she's okay. She's safe.

"Fine, I don't know your name." The girl stands up. "_Salvatore_, do you even know what you've just done? My friend died for _nothing_!"

"I don't care," I say to her gesture to the man at my feet. "You can't touch my girl like that, and expect to be on my good side."

She lifts her eyebrow. "You sure you're not Stefan? Lexi told me about him and you . . . you just seem like Stef–"

"Salvatore! Just call me Salvatore!" I yell at her. I can't stand to hear either of those names . . . I killed them both.

Elena pulls on my shirt, and I look down at her big brown eyes, filled with worry and concern for me. She purses her lips slightly, and I kiss her, just like she wanted me to.

"Rose," says the snarky girl. "And in case you didn't know, there is a higher power Elijah was working for."

I shrug. "Just be happy I don't kill _you_, 'kay?"

I walk past her and outside. Elena curls closer into me, and I don't want to set her down. I could call Stefan; he would give me a ride.

My heart sinks.

I set her down in the front seat and flash into the drivers' side. "I need to know what happened, baby."

She wipes her eyes and grabs my hand, kisses it. I hold hers and back the car up, listening.

"I got grabbed in your room, a-and I woke up in that mans trunk, and he gave me to Trevor, the dead guy on the floor, and Rose. And they wanted to give me to Elijah, the one you killed, and . . ." She cuts off.

Trying to ignore the pain in my chest of the fact I could've been protecting her, I squeeze her hand. "And?"

"He was going to kill me, Damon." She starts sobbing again and clutches my hand tightly.

I drive slower now, just letting her cry. My phone goes off, and off again. Bonnie or Caroline, I assume, but I'm not pulling my hand away from my girl to talk to some stupid cheerleader or her pet witch.

After about an hour, Elena sniffles and looks up at me. "Do you think I could try to . . . to sleep?"

I look at her, her eyes are pleading. "_Why_ would you think you'd have to _ask_ me that?"

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry."

I feel myself dying inside. "Don't be, just go to sleep."

She closes her eyes, cuddles into my hand. I feel her heart beat slow down against my knuckles, and hear her breathing deepen. While she is unconscious, I let my tears fall freely. Crying silently, I drive with my elbow and answer the phone.

"Damon?" Caroline says. I hear Bonnie in the background say something like, "He answered?"

"What?" I hiss.

"Oh, no." Caroline starts hiccupping when my voice cracks. "No, Damon. Oh, God, _Elena_."

Bonnie snatches the phone as Caroline starts screaming. "Damon?"

"Witch." I honk at someone in the opposite lane, who nearly runs into me. The sun begins the set, and Elena mumbles something. "Shh…"

"Damon!" Bonnie yells.

"Witch," I repeat.

"Is Elena okay?" Bonnie asks.

"She's with me." I squeeze Elena's hand and she hugs mine tighter. "She's safe."


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, I must apologize for taking so long to update this! I was on hiatus, I suppose. I lost my inspiration for it, forgot where I was going, so I wrote other stories. Now, I got this one back and I'm gonna finish it, _promise_! :D**  
**Thanks for being so patient!**

* * *

**Elena**

When I woke up, I was lying on a bed. I felt myself panic, where am I? I sit up and gasp, registering my surroundings. I'm in the Salvatore boarding house, wearing Damon's button up black shirt. I move my hair out of my face and hold his sheets closer to me, they smell like him and it's relaxing.

"Damon?" I whisper, falling back down on the bed.

"Are you okay?"

I jump a foot in the air and turn around, looking into Damon's embarrassed blue eyes. "Sorry."

"Don't be." I giggle slightly as I sit up and wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face in his shoulder.

He kisses my neck. "I'm so sorry."

I sit back and look at his face; he looks close to tears. I touch his face and pull him down toward me, and when he sits down my brows furrow. "Why?"

"I could've helped you and I . . . I didn't, and I'm sorry." He presses my hand to his mouth.

"It's not your fault," I tell him.

Damon shakes his head. "But–"

I press my finger to his lips. He looks at me sadly. My hand traces his mouth and down to the back of his neck, and I press my lip against his. I crush him onto the bed, rubbing his stomach with my hand. I let his tongue into my mouth and nip at it playfully. He moans and presses me into him, his hard chest pressed against my stomach. I lift off and kiss his neck, to which he tilts his head back, granting me access.

My hands travel up his shirt and on to his hard chest. I dig my nails in and get a low moan from deep in his throat. He closes his eyes and tilts his head farther back, to which I nip at his exposed throat.

"Ahem."

I jump off Damon like he burned me and look over at Bonnie, who is standing at the door.

"I see you're feeling better." Bonnie tries to look disgusted with me, but smiles and comes to give me a hug anyway.

Damon doesn't move. He remains lying on the bed with the butt of his wrists pressed into his eyes.

"There is someone at the door for you, Damon," Caroline says, walking in. She beams at me. "Elena!"

I smile at her and let out a noise as she tackles me in a hug. Bonnie yawns slightly before asking Caroline. "So, who's at the door?"

There is a loud crash downstairs just after Caroline finishes saying, "Some brunette chick named Rose."

"Crap," I mutter before I stand up and walk out the door, walking downstairs, hearing Bonnie and Caroline both call out, "Elena?"

Rose is crouching at one end of the room, Damon snarling by the door. I saw the blood on Rose's shoulder and on Damon's lips and I sighed.

"Would you relax, Salvatore?" Rose asked. "I don't even want to speak to you."

"Then get the hell out of my house," Damon growled.

Rose rolled her eyes. "And I don't want the doppelganger either! I came to warn you!"

Damon said nothing. The veins in his eyes were flashing and pulsing and I took a step forward. Caroline and Bonnie were behind me now, and neither one of them looked happy that Rose was there.

"Hello, Elena," Rose said, relaxing her stance.

Damon looked over his shoulder and zapped in front of me, holding me tight is his strong arms. I put my hands on his chest and let him hold me; he needed me next to him right now.

Caroline hissed like a kitten. "What do you want?"

Rose took a step forward and falls down on the chair. "I assume the younger Salvatore is dead already?"

Damon's whole body went cold and I looked up at his face to see his ice blue eyes get foggy for the slightest of moments before turning as blank as a stone. "So?"

Rose crossed her legs and lifted her brow. "I saw that. How'd it happen? Don't give me that look, I'm trying to save you from the same fate."

My hand instantly grabbed onto Damon's shirt and he glanced down at me, leaning down and hiding his face in my neck for a moment in a hug. I slide my hands around his neck and rest my cheek on his shoulder, closing my eyes.

Rose rolled her eyes and laid her head back on the top of the chairs back and Caroline sighed.

Damon pulled back now and glared at her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Mmhmm, have you spoken to Katherine lately?" She asked.

Damon involuntarily flinched.

I rubbed my hand up and down his back and he bit his lip as I looked at Rose. "What about Katherine?"

She shrugs. "Eh, Katherine is the one who told Mason you were the vampires. He's known since he came to town, you stabbing him had nothing to do with it."

Damon grabbed my hand and started massaging it, it felt good but I think he was doing it to distract himself from the conversation. "Your point?"

Rose slammed her palm into her forehead. "Do you not remember who you ran into when you were looking for them?"

I blinked hard and rubbed my free hand into my neck. I remember now, Mason had grabbed me and threatened to choke me before Caroline beat him to a pulp. Was he still alive?

Rose nods as if she read my thoughts. "Yeah. So Mason has a big mouth and told Sherriff Forbes, to which Stefan got staked." She points to Damon briefly. "It was supposed to be him."

Damon's and my hearts sank in unison, for completely different reasons.

"Katherine tried to kill you, torment Elena for forgetting about Stefan so easily, but you got up and saved him. She thinks he's dead." Rose twitches her nose. "That's why she hasn't come to talk to you. But, since she is working with Elijah, she'll know that he had to been the one to save you."

"Katherine is working with Elijah?"

Rose nods like she is talking to a mentally ill child.

"Holy crap!" Caroline blurts.

Damon says nothing; he just pulls my hand up to his lips and kisses my palm.

"I want to help you," Rose says, standing. "He killed Trevor, I'm not exactly peaceful toward him."

I hesitate a moment, then nodded. "Okay, you can help us."

She nodded a thank you to me.

Damon leaned down and kissed my cheek before walking out of the room. I looked at Bonnie and she shrugged. There was a loud bang, and I followed after him.


End file.
